Calculating machine



Nov. 24, 1936.

R] L. MULLER CALCULATING MACHINE Fild Nov. 20, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Pal/err LJTd/er m/w, new

ATTORNEYS R. L. MULLER CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 xQw Fa/xerf A. 7 171/ ler INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1936.

Nov. 24, 1936.

R. L. MULLER CALCULATING MACHINE Filed NOV. 20, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 24, 1936. R MULLER 2,061,667

CALCULAT IN'G MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1933 6 ShGetS S hQet, 4

INVENTOR FMerfAm/kr Nov. 24, 1936. R. L. MULLER CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Vb Nb R. 4 m M M w R M WNW. L F m w \HJYI Q. 0 k I 6 w wm mm S B Q Q8 x Q m3 0 X g \Q 69 NM 0 m% m mm 6% O m3 Nw 3 m6 N0 m Q m Q mm- Nov. 24, 1936. R. MULLER CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1933 6 She'ets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR fiakerf L Patented Nov. 24, 1936 cawumrmo MACHINE Robert L. Muller, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Burroughs Adding Machine Company, Detroit, Mich. a corporation of Michigan Application November 20, 1933, Serial No. 698,768

3' Claims.

This, invention relates to a Calculating machine and it is concerned particularly with a feature that is sometimes referred to as enforced designation. It is desirable, in some uses of calculating machines, to require the manipulation of a certain key or member before the machine can be operated, or before some part of it can be released. Generally speaking, the manipulation of this particular member results in printing a special character which indicates or records, or designates that the member has been manipulated. But it is not always necessary to print a character in connection with the enforced manner of operating the machine and the term enforced designation as used herein, is not intended to be limited to the enforced printing of a character but is simply a convenientterm used to refer to a construction which requires a certain enforced manner of operating a machine, no matter whether a special character is printed or not.

Machines have been heretofore constructed having enforced designation mechanisms, but these mechanisms are generally built into the machines at the factory. The machine, as it arrived in the customers hands, is constructed to operate, as far as the enforced designation feature is concerned, in a definite way. Sometimes these features can be changed by the substitution of proper parts but, as far as the customer is concerned, his machine operates in a definite way until it is altered. I

While the customer may want an enforced designation feature in certain operations of his machine, he often does not want this feature for certain other operations. This is particularly true in large bookkeeping or statistical machines where a series of operations are performed in sequence.

The present invention is directed to a solution of this problem and it comprehends a provision of automatic means for rendering the enforced designation feature active when it is wanted and inactive when it is not wanted.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved automatically controlled enforced designation mechanism for a calculating 'machine. I

Other and more particular objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a right side elevation of a machine with the invention applied to it, and with the designation keys shown in an ntermediate bank of keys, the parts being shown in normal position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the position of the parts after a designation key has been depressed and with the mechanism in position to enable the machine to be operated;

Fig. 3 is another view similar to Fig. 1 with the enforced designation feature disabled under= the control of thepaper carriage;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the invention in which a plurality of columns of designation keys control the operation of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of a portion of the front of the machine shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the en= forced designation feature conditioned for opera tion by the paper carriage; and

Fig. 7 is-a view'similar to Fig. 6 showing the position of the parts after a designation key has been depressed.

The invention is shown applied to a Burroughs high keyboard machine, the general features of which are well known, but some of which will be briefly described in order that the present invention may be clearly understood.

General machine features The machine is provided with a plurality of amount keys l- (Fig. l) which control the differential positioning of the actuator racks ii. The actuator racks are carried by arms 12 pivoted at 13 and these 'arms carry, on their rear ends, a series of movable types H. After the actuator racks H and the arms l2 are diifcren tially positioned, a printing mechanism includ= ing hammers l operates to drive the types to printing position against a platen P carried by a travelingpaper carriage C. The paper carriage comprises a paper supporting means and, in order to provide for printing in different columns on the paper, a column printing control means is provided in the form of a tabulating mechanism It that controls the movements of the carriage from column to column across the machine.

Cooperating with the actuator racks ii is a register I! which adds, subtracts, yields totals, etc., and a set of multiple registers l8 of the type shown in Patent No. 1,909,715.

While the enforced designation mechanism might be applied to different parts of the machine it is, in embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, applied to the control of the motor drive which calls for a brief review of the con-= struction of the motor drive.

The machine is driven by an electric motor through a clutch 2|. This clutch is thrown into operation and the motor caused to give the machine a stroke of operation by means of a vertically movable motor control link 22. This link is yieldingly connected by a spring 23 to one end of a lever 24 pivoted at 25, the other end of the lever having a stud 26 cooperating with one of the stems of the motor bar 21. The other stem, of the motor bar is connected to one end of another lever 28 pivoted at 29 and connected to the lever 24. When the motor bar 21 is depressed, the link 22 is raised, through spring 23,. and this causes the clutch and motor to give the machine a stroke of operation.

As the motor operates the machine it rocks the main drive shaft 30 clockwise from the position of Fig. 1 and then allows the shaft to be returned counterclockwise under the influence of springs, not shown. Fixed to the shaft fl is an arm II connected by a link 32 to a full stroke sector 33. This full stroke sector carries a stud 34 adapted to engage the end of a projecting arm "on the ,link 22. As the motor gives the machine a stroke of operation the stud 34 engages the end of projection "and returns the link 22 downwardly to disengage the clut'chso that the machine is given only a single stroke of operation. As the arm 3| on the main drive shaft 30 returns. counterclockwise to normal, the full stroke sector returns upward and'the stud 34' moves away from the end of the projection 35 on the link 22 so as to free the link but the link does not rise again, either because the motor bar has not been held depressed or because, if it is held depressed, a latch mechanism 88, which is not necessary to describe in detail, holdsthe link down until the motor bar is depressed a second time. k

Enforced designation feature As heretofore mentioned, the enforced designation mechanism is associated with the motor. drive so as to prevent operation of the machine unless certain designation keys or members are manipulated, the designation keys in the present invention being illustrated in an intermediate bank of keys. v 4

For this purpose a link 40 Fig. 1 is provided having a lateral lugll normally positioned over a stud 42 on the link 22. The link 22 is'thus I normally prevented from rising to cause the mothe enforced designation members, which, in this case, are a column of keys, as follows:

Referring to Fig. 3 which illustrates the column of enforced designation keys 50, it will be observed that, immediately under the stem of each key. is a pivotedbell crank SI to which is connected the respective stop wire I2 for differentially positioning the actuator rack of the col-, umn of keys. The lower arms of these bellcranks extend through slots in a slide 53 on the keyboard.

When one of the keys is depressed, its-bell crank ll is rocked countercdockwise which moves the slide I3 rearward where it is latched by a latch 54 that engages in an opening in the slide (Figs. 2 and 3). It remains latched in this position until near the end of a cycle of op ration of the machine when all the latches 54 are automatically released by a releasing bail ll.

It'is to be understood that the bank of enforced designation keys controls one of the racks ll having an arm l2 carrying type bars I at its rear end so that, when one of the keys is depressed and the machine operated, the type bars of its bank are positioned so that a special or designating character may be printed at the time the machine is given a cycle of operation.

This bank of keys and its associated parts, thus far described, is similar to the other banks of keys and may be used for other purposes than enforced designation. In fact, one of the features of the present invention is that the bank of keys that is used for enforced designation may also be used for other purposes. In the embodiment illustrated, the actuator rack for the bank of enforced designation keys, which is of slightly different form than the standard Burroughs racks, controls the selection of the multiple registers by means of mechanism such as described in Patent No. 1,909,715. For this purpose, it is provided at its lower end with a link 56 corresponding to the link in said patent. It has not been considered necessary to describe the details of this selecting mechanism in the present application.

When this bank of keys is conditioned for enforced designation purposes, as will be later described, it can beused not only to enforce a designation, but it can be used at the same time to select a particular register. When the bank is not being used for enforced designation purposes, it can still be usedfor the selection of registers, if desired.

The slide 58 which, as above described, is moved rearward when a key is depressed, controls the enforced designation. This slide has a lug 80 at its forward end engaging under a projection 6| on an arm'l2 pivoted at 83. This arm carries a stud 64 over which is hooked one end of a link 85 whose'other end is connected to the bail ,M

- heretofore mentioned.

When one of theenforced designation keys 50 is depressed, its bell crank II is rocked counterclockwise which moves the slide 53 rearwardly. As the slide moves rearwardly, its lug moves the arm '2 counterclockwise which raises the link 85 and rocks the bail ll clockwise. This pulls the link 40 from the position of Fig. 1

-to that of Fig. 2 and frees the motor control link 22.

From the description thus given, it will be clear that the motor drive is normally blocked against operation and that, unless one of the keys in the bank of enforced designation keys is depressed, the machine cannot operate eventhough the motor bar is depressed. In other words, if an operator enters an item in the machine but forgets to depress an enforced designation key, the machine will not operate when he depresses the motor bar. i

If it is desired to use more than one bank of enforced designation keys suitable latches 82 andlinks 66 are provided for the chosen banks, in which event depression of a key in any of the enforced designation banks will release the machine.

Con'iaae control Automatic means has been provided for controlling when the enforced designation feature shall be operative so that the machine may be used for calculations or operations with or without making it necessary for the operator to always depress an enforced designation key prior to operating the machine.

The rear end of the link 40 which controls the movement of the motor control link 22 is pivoted to an arm 10 fixed to a shaft 1I carried by the frame of the machine. This shaft has another arm 12 fixed to it, which is yieldingly connected to a lever 13 pivoted at 14. This yielding connection is provided by having a pin 15 on the end ofarm 12 operate in a slot in link 16 carried on the end of lever 13. The stud 15 on the arm 12 is connected by a spring 11 to a stud on lever 13. The rear end of lever 13 is connected to an upwardly extending slide 80 having a pin and slot connection 8| with a plate 82 carried by a stud 83 on the back plate 84 of the machine. The upper end of slide 80 has a stud 85 positioned in the path of a carriage tappet or cam 86 adjustably secured to the traveling paper carriage'C.

WhenJthe paper carriage arrives in a columnar position where the-enforced designation feature is not wanted, the cam or tappet 86 engages the stud 85 and moves slide 80 downward. This rocks the lever 13 clockwise and the latter, in turn,

disabled, and the machine may be used without it being necessary for the operator to depress en-' forced designation keys.

Modified f om In the form of the invention heretofore described, the enforced .designation feature is normally active and the carriage renders it inactive or disables it in predetermined columns. Another form of species of invention has been provided in which the enforced designation feature .is normally inactive but .the carriage renders it active in predetermined columns. Associated with this form of the invention is a control of the enforced designation feature by several banks of keys in such a way that a key in each bank must be depressed before the machine can be operated.

Referring to Figs. 4 to '1, inclusive, a link 90 is provided similar to the link 0 heretofore deing that the operator manipulate any enforced scribed. This link .has' a lateral lug 9| adapted to be positioned in the path of stud 42 on the motor control link 22 but normally out of the path of the stud as. shown in Fig. 4 In the normal condition of the machine, therefore, it can be used for calculating purposes without requir- -designation keys. The enforced designation mechanism is automatically rendered active under the control of the paper carriage as follows:

Referring again to Fig. 4, the'rear end of the link 90 is provided with slots 92 in which operate studs 93 on the enlarged end of an arm 95, fixed to the shaft 1|. The rear stud 93 is connected by a spring 95 to an extension of the link 90 (Fig.

- 6) so that ayielding connection is provided bedescribed for the construction of Fig. 1.

tween the arm 94 and the link 90. The shaft "II carries another arm 12 yieldingly connected to the lever 13 in the same manner as heretofore Also, the lever 13 is connected to a slide and the slide is operated in the same manner as heretofore described by a cam or tappet 86 on the traveling paper carriage.

When the carriage arrives at a column where the enforced designation feature is desired, the cam 85, which has been properly positioned be- -forehand, moves the slide 80 downwardly, rocks the lever 13 clockwise and moves the arm 95 counterclockwise. The possible movement of arm '94 under these conditions is sufficient to move the link from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 7, that is, to move the lug 9| from one side of the path of stud 42 to the opposite side. Normally, however, the movement of the link 90 is blocked and the carriage moves the link only from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 6. The spring yields under these circumstancesto permit full movement of the arm 94.

In this way the enforced designation feature the designation keys as will now be described.

The forward end of link 90 is connected to an arm 500 of a bail l0I pivoted at I02. This ball is normally urged counterclockwise against a limit stud I03 by a spring I04. When the link 90 is moved forward by the paper carriage, as heretofore described, the bail IN is rocked slightly clockwise, but it cannot move to its full extent because of' certain latches I05 pivoted to the shaft I02. One of these latches'has been provided in each of four banks of keys, as shown in Fig. 5. These latches are provided with shoulders I06 that are normally in the path of the edge of the bail and prevent full clockwise movement of said bail. Each latch is provided with a link l01 connected to a stud I08 on an arm 62 pivoted on shaft 63. These arms 62 are operated by slides 53 in the manner heretofore described.

When a key in a chosen-bank of designation keysis depressed, its slide 53 is moved rearwardly which rocks its arm 62 rearward and raises, its link I01. This raises its latch- I05 to released position. But the. release of one of the latches I05 will not release the bail IOI. Movement of all the latches I05 to released position is necessary before the bail IOI can move. But, as soon as the last of the latches I 05 is raised, the bail- IOI moves clockwise under the influence of spring 95 to the position of- Fig. '1 where, it will be observed, the motor control link 22 is released.

The number of banks in which latches I05 are provided can, of course, be varied, but whatever the number, it is necessary for a designation key to be depressed in each of the designation banks before the machine can be operated.

To recapitulate on this species of the invention, the enforced designation feature is normally inactive. When -the carriage reaches a predetermined column the enforced designation feature is rendered active and the machine cannot be operated unless one or more enforced invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, normally inactive blocking means preventing operation of the machine,

means controlled by said paper carriage for moving said blocking meansto active position I release the machine.

2. A machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, normally inactive means for blocking operation of the machine, means controlled by the paper carriage for moving said blocking means to active position and placing it under tension, and a plurality of banks of enforced designation keys having connections for releasing said blocking means whereby when a key in each of said banks has been depressed said blocking means will be released for movement to release the machine for operation.

3. A machine of the class described having a calculating mechanism, paper supporting means, column printing control means for causing printing to occur in diflerent columns on the paper supported by said supporting means, indexing means for indexing items in said machine, said indexing means and said machine being free at all times to enable said machine to receive items and to perform calculating functions, enforced designation means operable to require the manipulation of an enforced designation member concurrently with the conditioning of said machine for a calculation in order to release a predetermined machine part to enable said machine to be operated to perform said calculation, and means acting to automatically render said enforced designation means effective or ineffective in accordance with the column in which printing occurs to thereby force the designation of calculations printed in certain columns, but not of those printed in others.

4. A machine of the class described having a calculating mechanism, a traveling paper carriage movable from column to column across the machine, indexing means for indexing items in said machine, said indexing means and said machine being free in all columnar positions of the carriage to enable said machine to receive items and to perform calculating functions, an enforced designation means requiring the manipulation of an enforced designation member concurrently with theconditioning of said machine for each type of calculation in order to release a predeterminedmachine part to enable said machine to be operated to perform said calculations, and means controlled by said paper carriage automatically rendering said enforced designation means effective in predetermined columnar pofor selecting said registers, paper supporting means, column printing control means for causing printing to occur in different columns on the paper supported by said supporting means, and means controlled automatically and selectively in accordance with the column in which printing occurs enforcing operation of said register selecting means concurrently with the indexing of an item in said machine in order to release a predetermined machine part to enable said machine to be operated to enter said item.

6. A machine of the class described having a calculating mechanism, indexing means for indexing items in said machine, a plurality of registers selectively movable to position for cooperation with said calculating mechanism, means for selecting said registers, a traveling paper carriage, and means controlled by said paper carriage acting automatically in predetermined columnar positions to force operation of said register selecting means concurrently with the indexing of an item in said machine in order to release a predetermined machine part to enable said machine to be operated to enter said item.

7. A machine of the class described having a calculating mechanism, indexing means for indexing items in said machine, a plurality of registers selectively movable to position for cooperation with said calculating mechanism, register selecting means controlled by a plurality of depressible keys, a blocking means normally in position to prevent operation of said machine, means operable by depression of one of said register selecting keys acting to move said blocking means to inactive position, a traveling paper carriage, and means controlled by said carriage acting to move said blocking means to inactive position in predetermined positions of said carriage to thereby make depression of said register selection keys unnecessary in said carriage positions.

ROBERT L. MULLER. 

